Judge rules driver who hit and killed Lewiston boy violated state law

A three year driver’s license suspension and a $3,000 dollar fine. That was penalty handed down against a woman who struck and killed a boy with her pick-up truck in Lewiston back in November.

Author:
Chris Rose

Published:
9:28 PM EDT August 24, 2017

Updated:
9:29 PM EDT August 24, 2017

LEWISTON, Maine (NEWS CENTER) - A three year driver’s license suspension and a $3,000 dollar fine.

That was penalty handed down against a woman who struck and killed a boy with her pick-up truck in Lewiston back in November.

The judge determined Laurie Young violated a state motor vehicle law when she ran into 13-year old Jayden Cho-Sargent.

It was a highly emotional morning inside the courtroom for both the victim’s and defendant’s families.

“I can’t get the image of that impact and Jayden being dragged under the truck, out of my mind", said Cynthia Atkinson, Cho-Sargent's grandmother.

It was an awful event that brought two families together inside the courtroom.

“I would never wish this on anybody and I hope no one ever, ever has to go through this”, said the defendant Laurie Young.

One dealing with the guilt of a horrible accident. The other dealing with the grief of losing a child.

“I faced a mother’s worst nightmare that day and there’s a big hole in our hearts, a big hole”, said Kellie Foley, Cho-Sargent's mother.

It was the morning of November 3rd, a dreary, misty day. 13-year old Jayden Cho-Sargent was on his way to Lewiston Middle School when he was struck by Young’s truck as he walked in a crosswalk.

“I couldn’t stand, I just dropped to the ground, screaming my baby, my baby. They wouldn’t let me go to him, they wouldn’t let me see him”, said Foley.

Young said visibility was poor and she never saw the boy. Her family says it was a terrible accident.

“This is not a case where there’s a victim and a villain. This is a case where there’s a tragedy that turned two families upside down, two families”, said Young's husband Charlie.

The judge determined that Young was traveling faster than the 25-mile an hour speed limit and it was her responsibility to yield to a person in a cross walk. He found her guilty of a civil offense, motor vehicle violation that resulted in death.

“I’m so angry and upset at Laurie Young for not yielding to him for not looking for him. He was not a bump in the road”, said Foley.

Both sides offered the same message, urging drivers to slow down and pay closer attention to what they're doing. If Young completes 200 hours of community service, such as speaking to groups about her experience, she will have to pay only $1,000 of that fine.